Humor Flashcards
Who were Abbot and Costello
Vaudeville performers until they moved to radio and film
What was Vaudeville
The most popular form of entertainment in North America between 1875-1932
Where did Vaudeville take place
It started in France, but moved to the US
What were Vaudeville performers (7)
skilled comedians, jugglers, magicians, clowns, mimes, dancers, musicians
Where was Houdini born
Hungary 1874
When did Houdini die
Detroit 1926, but widely accepted that the killing blow came in Montreal, where he was giving a lecture
How did Houdini die
A Mcgill student named J. Gordon Whitehead asked Houdini if the rumours were true that he could endure intense punches to the abdomen.
Houdini verified these rumors, but his spleen then exploded.
What would Houdini’s wife do
Organize seances for people to communicate with her dead husband
Where did the word Vaudeville originate from
French phrases “Val de Vire” (Valley of the river Vire) and “Voix de Ville” (Voices of the town)
Where and how did Vaudeville start in the US
-Wild West
-Saloon Owners would hire entertainers to perform, hoping their acts would attract customers.
When/where did Vaudeville move out of the saloons and why
1800s, theatre, in an attempt to move away from licentious acts
Why was Vaudeville accessible in terms of wealth
you didn’t have to be rich to buy a ticket, unlike with the symphony
Why was Vaudeville accessible in terms of language
you didn’t need to speak french, german or italian, as were the most populars operas performed at the time
Why was Vaudeville accessible as a family show
Because the entertainment was cleaned up, it was appropriate for all ages.
What was the sign backstage at the New York City Palace
This theater caters to Ladies and Gentlemen and Children
What is the New York City Palace now
A Broadway theatre
Why was Vaudeville accessible in terms of gender barriers
Women were allowed to perform, making often times 100 times more than what they would make in sweatshops
Why was Vaudeville accessible in terms of nationalities
The stage opened its doors to numerous immigrant nationalities
Was preceded Vaudeville shows
minstrel shows
When did minstrel shows start
1828, most popular from 1841-1871
What did minstrel shows involve
Black-Face performers, depicting the lifestyle of slaves on the southern plantation, usually in a racially degrading fashion
When did minstrel shows lose their popularity
After slavery was abolished (1863-1865)
What remained after minstrel shows
Blackface performers (until the late 1950s) - long after Vaudeville
What were minstrel shows the root of
Stand-up comdey
How are Abbot and Costello best described
a duo with a rapid-fire repartee (quick, witty comments and replies)
What are Abbott and Costello said to have a mastery of
Straight man/clown relationship
Why is Abott and Costello often called burlesque entertainment
because of their ludicrous treatment of their subject matter
What does the word burlesque come from
burla from burlesco, meaning joke, ridicule, or mockery
Who were the Marx brothers and where were they from
Originally from New York City and enjoyed success on the Vaudeville circuit
What had the Marx Brothers become by 1920
the most popular American stage acts
When did the Marx brothers did become the most popular American stage acts
By 1920
What did the Marx Brothers do after Vaudeville
Broadway and film, sometimes adapting their plays into movies
What is A Night at the Opera considered by the American Film Institute and who made this film
- Marx Brothers
-12th in the top 100 comedies
What do the Marx Brothers do in their films and how
They exist outside of accepted boundaries and are interlopers in respectable society
They try to move up into more reputable positions (in terms of social class) while tearing down the conventions of society
What is an interloper
That doesn’t belong
What is the Marx Brothers comedy directed at
the crippling restrictions that social life places on the common individual
They are trying to free themselves from and others from debilitating impositions of daily life
It’s as if the Marx Brothers try to:
Create their own reality to live in, one which is wild and infantile - accomplished through spontaneous and incrongruous
What does the Marx Brothers exaggerated characters aim to do
Subvert the well-established conventions of society
Do the Marx Brothers stories have a narrative flow
Yes, but it is really a vehicle to showcase their performances and humour
What is a narrative flow
A discernible plot
What is a malpropism
Using an incorrect word in the place of a word
What is the Marx Brothers Horsic Feathers clip about
A critique of pomp, jabs at the wealthy, gold diggers and women of status
